Display device and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing display control program

ABSTRACT

A display device includes a display section, a folding support part, and a display controller. The display section includes first and second display areas. The folding support part is configured to cause the display section to switch between a folded position and an unfolded position. The display controller controls the display section so that when the display section is in the unfolded position, the display section displays a first object in the first display area and displays a second object in the second display area, when the display section is in the folded position, the display section displays the first object and the second object in the first display area, and a position of the second object with respect to the first object in the folded position is different from a position of the second object with respect to the first object in the unfolded position.

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/912,841, filed on Jun. 26, 2020. The presentapplication claims priority from JP Application Serial Number2019-121696, filed Jun. 28, 2019. The disclosures of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/912,841 and JP Application Serial Number2019-121696 are hereby incorporated by reference herein in theirentireties.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a display device and acomputer-readable storage medium that stores a display control programto be executed by the display device.

2. Related Art

Some known display devices such as smartphones or tablets include twocasings with touch panel screens, and these casings are joined togethervia a hinge, for example, as disclosed in WO-A-2013-175751. When adisplay device of this type is opened up so that both the touch panelscreens are arranged side by side, it is selectively operable in twomodes: a full-screen mode and a double application mode. In thefull-screen mode, a single application is displayed on both the touchpanel screens, whereas in the double application mode, two applicationsare independently displayed on the respective touch panel screens.

Display devices, as described above, have some room to provide optimallyimproved displays.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed to a display device including adisplay section, a folding support part, and a display controller. Thedisplay section includes a first display area and a second display area.The folding support part is configured to cause the display section toswitch between a folded position and an unfolded position, with thefirst display area and the second display area facing in oppositedirections in the folded position, and the first display area and thesecond display area facing in the same direction in the unfoldedposition. The display controller controls the display section so thatwhen the display section is in the unfolded position, the displaysection displays a first object in the first display area and displays asecond object in the second display area, when the display section is inthe folded position, the display section displays the first object andthe second object in the first display area, and a position of thesecond object with respect to the first object in the folded position isdifferent from a position of the second object with respect to the firstobject in the unfolded position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a configuration of a terminaldevice according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2A illustrates the terminal device in an unfolded position.

FIG. 2B illustrates the terminal device in a folded position.

FIG. 3 illustrates the display section in the terminal device in theunfolded position as viewed from the front surface.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a display control process performed by thecontroller in the terminal device.

FIG. 5A illustrates a preview image and some operation icons that theterminal display displays during the display control process at StepS110.

FIG. 5B illustrates a preview image and some operation icons that theterminal display displays during the display control process at StepS120.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a display control process according to a firstmodification.

FIG. 7 illustrates a preview image that the terminal device displaysduring a display control process according to the first modification atStep S115.

FIG. 8 illustrates a preview image and some operation icons that theterminal device displays during a display control process according to asecond modification at Step S120.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below withreference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that thedrawings are simply illustrative for use in describing components in theembodiments, and thus the illustrated components may lack correctproportion and consistency. Besides, not all components are illustrated.

Configuration of Terminal Device

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a configuration of a terminaldevice 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Theterminal device 10 may be implemented by a smartphone or a tablet, forexample. The terminal device 10 includes a controller 11, a displaysection 13, a position sensor 14, and a wireless communication section15. The controller 11 may be a processor having a central processingunit (CPU) 11 a, read only memory (ROM) 11 b, and random access memory(RAM) 11 c; this processor may include one or more integrated circuits(ICs).

The controller 11 controls an operation of the terminal device 10 bycausing the processor or the CPU 11 a to perform arithmetic processingin a working area of the RAM 11 c in accordance with various programsstored in the ROM 11 b and other memories. The controller 11 executes adisplay control program 12, which is one of the stored programs, tofunction as a determiner 12 a and a display controller 12 b.

The display section 13 has a first display area 13 a and a seconddisplay area 13 b. As an example, the display section 13 may beimplemented by a foldable or flexible display, for example, asillustrated in FIG. 2A, 2B, or 3 that will be referenced later. Examplesof such flexible displays are disclosed in JP-A-2018-72663 andJP-A-2017-188027. The display section 13 may have a touch panel to beoperated by a user. Herein, the terminal device 10 with the displaysection 13 may correspond to a display device.

The position sensor 14 may include one or more sensors that sensepositions of the terminal device 10. The terminal device 10 isconfigured to be set in a plurality of positions, including a foldedposition and an unfolded position. In the folded position, the displaysection 13 is folded at the location of the boundary between the firstdisplay area 13 a and the second display area 13 b so that the firstdisplay area 13 a and the second display area 13 b face in oppositedirections. In the unfolded position, the display section 13 is notfolded at the location of the boundary so that the first display area 13a and the second display area 13 b face in the same direction. Thefolded, unfolded, and other positions of the display section 13 may alsobe regarded as those of the terminal device 10.

The wireless communication section 15 conducts wireless communicationwith an external device, for example, via a public communication channelor a wireless local area network (LAN). The components illustrated inFIG. 1 represent some constituent elements possessed by the terminaldevice 10. Like a typical smartphone or tablet, for example, theterminal device 10 may further include a speaker, a microphone, acamera, a terminal pin to which a wire is to be connected, a physicalbutton, and an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor that sense anorientation and rotation of the terminal device 10.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate the terminal device 10 in differentpositions. More specifically, FIG. 2A illustrates the terminal device 10in the unfolded position, whereas FIG. 2B illustrates the terminaldevice 10 in the folded position. The terminal device 10 furtherincludes a first casing 21 and a second casing 22, each of which mayhave a planar shape. The components of the terminal device 10 asillustrated in FIG. 1 are accommodated or mounted in the first casing 21or/and the second casing 22. Both the first casing 21 and second casing22 are joined together so as to be rotatable relative to each otheraround a hinge 23 (one example of a folding support part). Thus, a usercan set the terminal device 10 in the unfolded position or the foldedposition by rotating one or both of the first casing 21 and the secondcasing 22 around the hinge 23. A portion of each of the first casing 21and the second casing 22 which is joined to the hinge 23 may be made ofa flexible or elastic material, in which case the user can easily setthe terminal device 10 in the folded position illustrated in FIG. 2B.

Mounted on the front surfaces of the first casing 21 and the secondcasing 22, each of which has a planar shape, is a display section 13 asa single flexible display. Of the display section 13, the first displayarea 13 a is defined on the first casing 21 and the second display area13 b is defined on the second casing 22. The display section 13 has aboundary area 13 c, which contains the hinge 23 and is defined betweenthe first display area 13 a and the second display area 13 b. Herein,the location at which the hinge 23 is disposed in the boundary area 13 ccorresponds to the location of the boundary between the first displayarea 13 a and the second display area 13 b. It should be noted that theboundary area 13 c does not necessarily have to be defined definitelyand it may be a portion of display section 13 which is bent when thedisplay section 13 is set in the folded position.

As illustrated in FIG. 2A, when the terminal device 10 is in theunfolded position, both the first display area 13 a and the seconddisplay area 13 b face in the same direction. In this case, however, thefirst display area 13 a and the second display area 13 b do notnecessarily have to face in exactly the same direction. Alternatively,the first display area 13 a and the second display area 13 b may face inslightly different directions unless the user perceives this difference.

As illustrated in FIG. 2B, when the terminal device 10 is in the foldedposition, both the first display area 13 a and the second display area13 b face in opposite directions. More specifically, when the terminaldevice 10 is in the folded position, a first rear surface 21 a of thefirst casing 21 which is opposite to the front surface of the firstcasing 21 on which the display section 13 is mounted is positioned so asto face a second rear surface 21 b of the second casing 22 which isopposite to the front surface of the second casing 22 on which thedisplay section 13 is mounted. In this case, however, the angle betweenorientations of the first display area 13 a and the second display area13 b does not necessarily have to be 180 degrees sharp. Alternatively,this angle may slightly differ from 180 degrees unless the userrecognizes this difference.

FIG. 3 illustrates the terminal device 10 in the unfolded position asviewed from the front surface of the display section 13. In FIG. 3, thefirst display area 13 a, the boundary area 13 c, and the second displayarea 13 b are defined by broken lines drawn inside the display section13, which may be implemented by a flexible display; it should be notedthat these broken lines are not actually present. The terminal device 10in a planar shape has four sides: a first side 24 and a second side 25that extend in parallel with the longitudinal sides of the boundary area13 c; and a third side 26 that extends between first ends of the firstside 24 and the second side 25; and a fourth side 27 that extendsbetween second ends of the first side 24 and the second side 25.

The display section 13 does not necessarily have to be implemented by asingle flexible display mounted on both the first casing 21 and thesecond casing 22; alternatively, the display section 13 may beimplemented by two flexible displays mounted independently on the firstcasing 21 and the second casing 22. If the display section 13 isimplemented by a first flexible display mounted on the first casing 21and a second flexible display mounted on the second casing 22, the firstflexible display may define the first display area 13 a and the secondflexible display may define the second display area 13 b. In this case,the boundary area 13 c may be absent in the display section 13, and thehinge 23 may define the boundary between the first display area 13 a andthe second display area 13 b.

Display Control Process

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a display control process that the controller11 performs in accordance with the display control program 12. Withreference to this flowchart, the display control process will bedescribed below. In the display control process, the display section 13displays a preview screen of an image in accordance with a user'selection; this image will be printed by an unillustrated printer andmay contain text, a picture, a computer graphic (CG), and othercontents. In short, the controller 11 receives an instruction ofdisplaying the preview screen of the image through a user's operationand, in response to this instruction, starts the display control processin the flowchart of FIG. 4.

At Step S100, first, the determiner 12 a in the controller 11 determineswhether the display section 13 is in the folded position, based on asensing signal from the position sensor 14. When determining that thedisplay section 13 is in the folded position (Yes at Step S100), thedeterminer 12 a makes the display control process proceed to Step S110.When determining that the display section 13 is not in the foldedposition, namely, is in the unfolded position (No at Step S100), thedeterminer 12 a makes the processing proceed to Step S120.

The position sensor 14 may be any sensor that outputs a sensing signalto the controller 11 which is required to identify whether the displaysection 13 is in the unfolded position or in the folded position. As anexample, the position sensor 14 may be disposed on the first rearsurface 21 a near the first side 24 or on the second rear surface 21 bnear the second side 25. In this case, when both the first rear surface21 a and the second rear surface 21 b are positioned close to each otheras illustrated in FIG. 2B, the position sensor 14 may output the sensingsignal to the controller 11 which indicates that both the first side 24and the second side 25 are positioned close to each other, morespecifically, that the display section 13 is in the folded position.

As an alternative example, the position sensor 14 may be any sensor thatoutputs a sensing signal to the controller 11 which indicates an anglebetween the first casing 21 and the second casing 22 disposed with thehinge 23 therebetween. As another alternative example, the terminaldevice 10 may have a locking mechanism to be operated by the user whichphysically locks the terminal device 10 in the folded position. When thelocking mechanism locks the terminal device 10 in the folded position,the position sensor 14 may output the sensing signal to the controller11 which indicates that the terminal device 10 is in the foldedposition.

At Step S110, the display controller 12 b in the controller 11 causesthe display section 13 to display, within the first display area 13 a, apreview image and some operation icons linked to a designated object outof a group of objects selected by the user. The preview image may be animage that is displayed before a printing operation and constituted by agroup of objects selected by the user. Each object may be an originalimage for one page which serves as the basis for the preview image, ormay be an illustration, text, a comment, a graphic, or a stamp displayedin the original image.

The designated object may be one of the objects constituting the previewimage which is designated by the user. The number of designated objectsis denoted by N, which is set to one in this embodiment. This means thatthe user is not allowed to designate two or more objects at the sametime.

Each of the operation icons is used to receive a user's operation andlinked to a corresponding object. Herein, each operation icon maycorrespond to a specific image. Examples of the user's operation mayinclude operations of moving an object, changing the shape of theobject, deleting the object, and changing the overlapping order ofobjects. For example, the operation of moving an object may be anoperation of rotating the object; the operation of changing the shape ofan object may be an operation of zooming in or out or flipping theobject.

At Step S110, the display controller 12 b causes the display section 13to display the preview image within the first display area 13 a.Simultaneously, the display controller 12 b also causes the displaysection 13 to display, within the first display area 13 a, operationicons linked to the designated object out of the objects constitutingthe preview image. In this case, the display section 13 does not displayoperation icons linked to the objects other than the designated object.

At Step S120, the display controller 12 b causes the display section 13to display the preview image within the first display area 13 a.Simultaneously, the display controller 12 b also causes the displaysection 13 to display, within the second display area 13 b, operationicons linked to an M number of objects out of the plurality of objectsconstituting the preview image. In this case, M denotes the total numberof objects constituting the preview image and is greater than that ofthe designated object. For example, if the preview image is constitutedby four objects, M may be set to four.

If the preview image is constituted by many objects, for example, thedisplay section 13 may be unable to display the operation icons linkedto all the objects within the second display area 13 b at one time.Therefore, the upper limit of M may be set in advance for the displaycontroller 12 b. In this case, when the number of objects constitutingthe preview image is less than or equal to the upper limit, the displaycontroller 12 b may cause the display section 13 to display theoperation icons linked to all the objects within the second display area13 b. However, when the number of objects constituting the preview imageexceeds the upper limit, the display controller 12 b may cause thedisplay section 13 to display the operation icons linked to an upperlimit number of objects out of all the objects within the second displayarea 13 b.

While the screen at Step S110 or S120 is being displayed, at Step S130,the display controller 12 b determines whether to receive an instructionof finishing displaying the preview image through a user's operation.When receiving the instruction (Yes at Step S130), the displaycontroller 12 b causes the display section 13 to finish displaying thepreview image and the operation icons and then concludes the displaycontrol process in the flowchart of FIG. 4. When not receiving theinstruction (No at Step S130), the display controller 12 b makes thedisplay control process return to Step S100.

FIG. 5A illustrates the preview image and the operation icons that thedisplay controller 12 b causes the display section 13 to display withinthe first display area 13 a at Step S110. The preview image and theoperation icons as illustrated in FIG. 5A are continuously displayedafter when Yes is selected at Step S100 of the flowchart in FIG. 4 anduntil Yes is selected at Step S130. It should be noted that the usercannot view the second display area 13 b in the example of FIG. 5Abecause the terminal device 10 is in the folded position.

In FIG. 5A, the preview image constituted by a plurality of objectsdenoted by reference numerals 30, 31, 32, and 33 is displayed within thefirst display area 13 a. Specifically, the reference numeral 30 denotesan original image of a person's picture; the reference numeral 31denotes a graphic of a heart; the reference numeral 32 denotes a graphicof a balloon containing text; and the reference numeral 33 denotes agraphic of a ribbon. The original image 30 and the graphics 31 to 33 areobjects that the user has selected by operating the display section 13acting as a touch panel and then the display controller 12 b hasdisplayed in response to the user's selection. The graphics 31 to 33 areobjects present in the original image 30 in order to decorate theoriginal image 30.

In FIG. 5A, the graphic 31, which is one of the objects constituting thepreview image, corresponds to the designated object and thus surroundedby the broken line. The user can designate any object within the firstdisplay area 13 a as a designated object by touching it. If the userdesignates no object as the designated object, the display controller 12b may designate the original image 30 as the designated object.

Displayed within a lower portion of the first display area 13 a are aplurality of operation icons 40, 41, 42, and 43 linked to the designatedobject. In this case, in response to designating one of the plurality ofobjects within the first display area 13 a at Step S110, the displaycontroller 12 b causes the display section 13 to display the operationicons lined to the designated object within the first display area 13 a.

The operation icon 40 is an icon used to rotate the object; theoperation icon 41 is an icon used to laterally flip the object; theoperation icon 42 is an icon used to change the overlapping order ofobjects; and the operation icon 43 is an icon used to delete the object.In addition to the operation icons 40 to 43, some other icons may alsobe displayed at Step S110 or S120. As an example, an operation icon foruse in decorating or coloring an object may be displayed.

The user can operate any operation icon within the first display area 13a. When sensing the operation of any operation icon within the firstdisplay area 13 a, the display controller 12 b reflects the sensedoperation in the designated object within the first display area 13 a.For example, the display controller 12 b may change the location orshape of the designated object or the overlapping order of thedesignated object and other objects. By operating any operation iconwithin the first display area 13 a in this manner, the user can performa desired process on the designated object, such as moving it orchanging its shape.

FIG. 5B illustrates the preview image and the operation icons that thedisplay controller 12 b causes the display section 13 to display,respectively, within the first display area 13 a and the second displayarea 13 b at Step S120. The preview image and the operation icons asillustrated in FIG. 5B are continuously displayed after the No isselected at Step S100 of the flowchart in FIG. 4 and until Yes isselected at Step S130. It should be noted that the terminal device 10 isin the unfolded position in FIG. 5B.

FIG. 5B is similar to FIG. 5A in that the preview image constituted bythe original image 30 and the graphics 31 to 33 is displayed within thefirst display area 13 a. However, FIG. 5B differs from FIG. 5A in thatno operation icons are displayed within the first display area 13 a.Instead, a plurality of operation icons 40 to 43 linked to each of theobjects, namely, to each of the original image 30 and the graphics 31 to33 constituting the preview image are displayed within the seconddisplay area 13 b.

In addition to the above, thumbnail images of the original image 30 andthe graphic 31 to 33 are also displayed within the second display area13 b. The reference symbol 30 t denotes the thumbnail image of theoriginal image 30. Within the second display area 13 b, the operationicons 40 to 43 are arrayed next to each thumbnail image. As an example,the operation icons 40 to 43 linked to the original image 30 may bearrayed next to the thumbnail image 30 t of the original image 30.

The user can operate any operation icon linked to a given object, morespecifically, the thumbnail image of a given object within the seconddisplay area 13 b. When sensing the operation of an operation iconwithin the second display area 13 b, the display controller 12 breflects the sensed operation in the object linked to the operatedoperation icon within the first display area 13 a. For example, thedisplay controller 12 b may change the location or shape of the objector overlapping order of the object and other objects. At Step S120, thedisplay controller 12 b may cause the display section 13 to display,within the second display area 13 b, various operation icons inaccordance with the objects constituting the preview image. In short,when the terminal device 10 is in the unfolded position, the user doesnot have to designate any object within the preview image as an objectto be operated, although this designation is needed when the terminaldevice 10 is in the folded position.

When the display section 13 transmits from the folded position to theunfolded position, at Step S110, the display controller 12 b hides theoperation icons 40 to 43 that have been displayed within the firstdisplay area 13 a, unlike the example of FIG. 5A. Instead, at Step S120,the display controller 12 b causes the display section 13 to display,within the second display area 13 b, the operation icons 40 to 43 linkedto objects constituting the preview image, as illustrated in FIG. 5B.

At Step S110, the operation icons 40 to 43 may be arrayed in this orderfrom the left to right of the first display area 13 a, as illustrated inFIG. 5A. Likewise, at Step S120, the operation icons 40 to 43 linked toeach object may be arrayed in this order from the left to right of thesecond display area 13 b, as illustrated in FIG. 5B.

As an alternative example, at Step S120, a plurality of operation iconslinked to each object may be arrayed within the second display area 13 bin accordance with frequencies at which these operation icons have beenoperated. In this case, the display controller 12 b may store in advancethe operating frequencies of the operation icons 40 to 43. For example,if the operating frequencies of the operation icons 42, 40, 43, and 41decline in this order, at Step S120, the display controller 12 b maycause the display section 13 to display the operation icons 42, 40, 43,and 41 so as to be arrayed in this order from the left to right of thesecond display area 13 b.

At Step S120, the display controller 12 b may cause the display section13 to display operation icons linked to individual objects in accordancewith frequencies at which these objects have been operated in thepreview image at Step S110. In this case, the display controller 12 bmay store in advance frequencies at which the original image 30 and thegraphics 31 to 33 have been operated as a designated object at StepS110. For example, if the operating frequency of the graphics 31, 33,and 32 and the original image 30 decline in this order, at Step S120following Steps S110 and S100, the display controller 12 b may cause thedisplay section 13 to display the thumbnail images of the graphics 31,33, and 32 and the original image 30 so as to be arrayed in this orderfrom the top to bottom of the second display area 13 b. Simultaneously,the display controller 12 b may cause the display section 13 to furtherdisplay the operation icons next to each thumbnail image.

As described above, at Step S120, the display controller 12 b causes thedisplay section 13 to display operation icons within the second displayarea 13 b so as to be arrayed in accordance with frequencies at whichthese operation icons have been operated and to further display thethumbnail images of objects so as to be arrayed in accordance withfrequencies at which these objects have been operated as designatedobjects. In this way, the terminal device 10 provides good usability forthe user.

Since the original image 30 is the background of the graphics 31 to 33,the operation icon 42 used to change an overlapping order of theoriginal image 30 and other objects is unnecessary. Therefore, at StepS120, the display controller 12 b may cause the display section 13 todisplay only the operation icons 40, 41, and 43 within the seconddisplay area 13 b in relation to the thumbnail image 30 t of theoriginal image 30. In other words, the display section 13 does not haveto display the operation icon 42. In short, at Step S120, the displaycontroller 12 b may cause the display section 13 to display differentoperation icons in relation to individual objects constituting thepreview image within the second display area 13 b.

As described above, if the preview image is constituted by many objects,at Step S120, the display section 13 may be unable to display theoperation icons linked to all the objects within the second display area13 b at one time. Therefore, when the number of objects constituting thepreview image exceeds an upper limit at which operation icons can bearrayed at one time within the second display area 13 b, at Step S120,the display controller 12 b may cause the display section 13 to displaythe operation icons linked to an upper limit number of objects withinthe second display area 13 b. Then, when receiving a scroll operation onthe second display area 13 b, the display controller 12 b may cause thedisplay section 13 to display the operation icons linked to theremaining objects within the second display area 13 b.

Conclusion

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a display deviceincludes a display section 13, a determiner 12 a, and a displaycontroller 12 b. The display section 13 is configured to be set in aplurality of positions including a folded position and an unfoldedposition. In the folded position, the display section 13 is folded at alocation of a boundary between a first display area 13 a and a seconddisplay area 13 b so that the first display area 13 a and the seconddisplay area 13 b face in opposite directions. In the unfolded position,the display section 13 is not folded at the location of the boundary sothat the first display area 13 a and the second display area 13 b facein the same direction. The determiner 12 a determines in which positionthe display section 13 is. The display controller 12 b controls adisplay operation of the display section 13. When the display section 13is in the folded position, the display controller 12 b causes thedisplay section 13 to display, within the first display area 13 a, aplurality of objects and specific images linked to an N number ofobjects out of the plurality of objects, the specific images being usedto receive an operation, and not to display a specific image linked toan object other than the N number of objects out of the plurality ofobjects together with the specific images linked to the N number ofobjects. When the display section 13 is in the unfolded position, thedisplay controller 12 b causes the display section 13 to display theplurality of objects within the first display area 13 a andsimultaneously to display, within the second display area 13 b, specificimages linked to an M number of objects out of the plurality of objects,M being larger than N. For example, positions of the display section 13other than the folded position and the unfolded position may be those ofthe display section 13 in the transition between the folded position andthe unfolded position.

As described above, when the display section 13 is in the unfoldedposition, the display controller 12 b causes the display section 13 todisplay the plurality of objects within the first display area 13 a andsimultaneously to display specific images, or operation icons, linked toan M number of objects within the second display area 13 b, M beinglarger than N. With this configuration, the display section 13 caneffectively use both the first display area 13 a and the second displayarea 13 b when the display section 13 is in the unfolded position,thereby allowing a user to easily view the images of a plurality ofobjects and specific images linked to these objects. In this case, thedisplay controller 12 b causes the display section 13 to display thespecific images linked to each object within the second display area 13b, thereby allowing the user to easily operate these objects.

In the above display device, each of the specific images may contain atleast one of a plurality of icons used to receive instructions of movinga corresponding one of the objects, changing a shape of the object,deleting the object, and changing overlapping order of the objects.

The above configuration allows the user to operate a specific imageacting as an operation icon to perform a desired process on an object,such as moving it, changing its shape, deleting it, or changing itsoverlapping order.

In the above display device, when the display section 13 is in thefolded position, the display controller 12 b may cause, in response todesignating any object out of the plurality of objects displayed withinthe first display area 13 a, the display section 13 to display aspecific image linked to the designated object within the first displayarea 13 a.

As described above, the display section displays the specific imageslinked to the designated object within the first display area 13 a whenthe user designates any of a plurality of objects displayed within thefirst display area 13 a as a designated object. This configurationallows the user to perform a desired operation on the designated object.

In the above display device, when the display section 13 transits fromthe folded position to the unfolded position and further transits to thefolded position, the display controller 12 b may cause the displaysection 13 to hide the specific images linked to the N number of objectswhich have been displayed within the first display area 13 a and, inturn, to display the specific images linked to the M number of objectswithin the second display area 13 b.

With the above configuration, in response to the transition from thefolded position to the unfolded position of the display section 13, thedisplay controller 12 b causes the display section 13 to hide specificimages from the first display area 13 a and, in turn, to display thesespecific images within the second display area 13 b.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, anon-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a displaycontrol program 12 that controls an image display operation of a displaysection 13. The display section 13 is configured to be set in aplurality of positions including a folded position and an unfoldedposition. The display control program 12 causes the display section 13to perform a method including: displaying, when the display section 13is in the folded position, a plurality of objects and specific imageslinked to an N number of objects out of the plurality of objects withinthe first display area 13 a, the specific images being used to receivean operation, and not displaying a specific image linked to an objectother than the N number of objects out of the plurality of objectstogether with the specific images linked to the N number of objects; anddisplaying, when the display section 13 is in the unfolded position, theplurality of objects within the first display area 13 a andsimultaneously to display, within the second display area 13 b, specificimages linked to an M number of objects out of the plurality of objects,M being larger than N.

MODIFICATIONS

Some modifications of the foregoing embodiment will be described below.It should be noted that this description will be mainly centered ondifferences from the embodiment and other modifications.

First Modification

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a display control process according to a firstmodification which the controller 11 performs in accordance with thedisplay control program 12. The flowchart of FIG. 6 differs from that ofFIG. 4 in including Steps S105 and S115. When the determiner 12 adetermines that the display section 13 is in the folded position at StepS100 (Yes at Step S100), at Step S105, the determiner 12 a furtherdetermines whether the display section 13 was in the unfolded positionbefore it is set in the folded position.

The determiner 12 a stores a history of results of determinations thathave been made since the display control process in the flowchart ofFIG. 6 started. After the display control process in the flowchart ofFIG. 6 has started, the determiner 12 a determines whether the displaysection 13 is set in the folded position. When determining that thedisplay section 13 is set in the folded position at least once, thedeterminer 12 a, in turn, determines whether the display section 13 isset in the unfolded position. When determining that the display section13 is set in the unfolded position at least once, the determiner 12 a,in turn, determines whether the display section 13 is in the foldedposition again. When determining that the display section 13 is set inthe folded position at least once (Yes at Step S105), the determiner 12a makes the display control process proceed to Step S115. In thisdisplay control process, once the determiner 12 a determines that thedisplay section 13 is in the folded position at Step S100 (Yes at StepS100), at Step S105, the determiner 12 a usually determines that thedisplay section 13 was in the unfolded position before it is set in thefolded position. This determination process is continued until thedisplay controller 12 b receives an instruction of finishing displayingthe preview image through a user's operation at Step S130. On the otherhand, when determining that the display section 13 is kept in the foldedposition without being set in the unfolded position at Step S105 (No atStep S105), the display controller 12 b makes the display controlprocess proceed to Step S110.

At Step S115, the display controller 12 b causes the display section 13to display a preview image within the first display area 13 a. In thiscase, the display section 13 displays no operation icons within thefirst display area 13 a nor the second display area 13 b.

FIG. 7 illustrates a preview image that the display controller 12 bcauses the display section 13 to display within the first display area13 a of the display section 13 when it performs the display controlprocess according to the first modification at Step S115. It should benoted that the user cannot view the second display area 13 b in the caseof FIG. 7 because the terminal device 10 is in the folded position. FIG.7 is similar to FIG. 5A in that the preview image constituted by theoriginal image 30 and the graphics 31 to 33 is displayed within thefirst display area 13 a, but the operation icons 40 to 43 are notpresent within the first display area 13 a in FIG. 7.

In the example of FIG. 7, the preview image that the display controller12 b causes the display section 13 to display within the first displayarea 13 a at Step S115 may be larger in size than that displayed at StepS110. In the example of FIG. 5A, although the operation icons 40 to 43are present outside the preview image within the first display area 13a, they may be present inside the preview image at Step S110. Becausethe operation icons 40 to 43 are not present at Step S115 unlike thecase of Step S110 in which they are present inside the preview image,the user can easily view the preview image. After having performed thedisplay operation at Step S110, S115, or S120, the display controller 12b performs the determination process at Step S130.

In the first modification, as described above, when the determiner 12 adetermines that the display section 13 transits from the folded positionto the unfolded position and then further transits to the foldedposition, the display controller 12 b hides the specific images fromboth the first display area 13 a and the second display area 13 b. Thisconfiguration allows the user to hide operation icons from both thefirst display area 13 a and the second display area 13 b by unfoldingthe folded terminal device 10 that has been in the folded position andthen folding it again. The user thereby can easily view the previewimage within the first display area 13 a.

Second Modification

At Step S120 in the flowchart of FIG. 4, the display controller 12 b maycause the display section 13 to display operation icons, based on thehistory of operations that the user has ever performed on the previewimage. FIG. 8 illustrates a preview image and some operation icons thatthe display controller 12 b causes the display section 13 to display,respectively, within the first display area 13 a and the second displayarea 13 b during the display control process according to the secondmodification at Step S120.

In FIG. 8, numbers 1 to 4 are listed within the second display area 13 bin accordance with the sequence in which the user has performedoperations on the preview image. Further, a smaller number indicates anoperation that the user has performed earlier. In addition to thesenumbers, thumbnail images of objects that have been operated by the userand operation icons that indicate operations that the user has performedare present within the second display area 13 b. Furthermore, acharacter 34 t denotes a thumbnail image of a graphic of a star, whichis one of the objects; an operation icon 44 is an icon used to zoom downa corresponding object; and an operation icon 45 is an icon used to zoomup a corresponding object.

The display controller 12 b stores the history of operations that theuser has performed on the preview image since the display controlprocess started. Whenever the user operates any operation icon, thedisplay controller 12 b stores the preview image displayed upon theoperation. As can be seen from the second display area 13 b in FIG. 8,the user sequentially deletes the heart graphic from the preview image,zooms down a graphic 31 of a heart contained in the preview image,rotates a graphic 32 of a bloom contained in the preview image, andzooms up a graphic 33 of a ribbon contained in the preview image. Itshould be noted that the image displayed within the first display area13 a corresponds to the latest preview image on which the user hassequentially performed those operations.

By touching any of the numbers listed within the second display area 13b, the user can conform a desired past preview image. For example, whenthe user touches number 1 within the second display area 13 b in thecase of FIG. 8, the display controller 12 b causes the display section13 to display, within the first display area 13 a, a preview image thathas been displayed immediately before the star graphic was deleted. Whenthe user touches number 4 within the second display area 13 b, thedisplay controller 12 b causes the display section 13 to display, withinthe first display area 13 a, the preview image that has been displayedimmediately before the graphic 33 of a ribbon was zoomed up. Accordingto the second modification, as described above, the user can touch anynumber within the second display area 13 b of the terminal device 10 inthe unfolded position, thereby causing a desired past preview image toappear in the second display area 13 b and confirming it.

Other Modifications

Number N indicating the number of designated objects may be any numbersmaller than M. For example, if N is set to two, the user may designatetwo objects at the same time. In response, at Step S110, the displaycontroller 12 b may cause the display section 13 to display specificimages, or operation icons, linked to the designated objects within thefirst display area 13 a.

In the foregoing embodiment and modifications, the specific images areimplemented by the operation icons 40 to 45; however, each specificimage is not limited to an icon. Alternatively, each specific image maybe a character displayed by the display section 13.

Obviously, the display control processes in this embodiment and themodifications are applicable to not only a preview image to be displayedbefore a printing operation but also other images, such as an imageconstituted by a plurality of objects which is to be processed ormonitored. This means that the terminal device 10 may be employed forany application other than a printing application.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display device comprising: a display sectionincluding a first display area and a second display area; a foldingsupport part configured to cause the display section to switch between afolded position and an unfolded position, with the first display areaand the second display area facing in opposite directions in the foldedposition, and the first display area and the second display area facingin the same direction in the unfolded position; a display controllerthat controls the display section so that when the display section is inthe unfolded position, the display section displays a first object inthe first display area and displays a second object in the seconddisplay area, the first object being one of an object used to receive auser's operation and an object on which the user's operation isperformed, and the second object being the other of the object used toreceive the user's operation and the object on which the user'soperation is performed, the user's operation including at least one ofmoving the object, changing a shape of the object, deleting the object,and changing an overlapping order of the object, when the displaysection is in the folded position, the display section displays thefirst object and the second object in the first display area, and aposition of the second object with respect to the first object in thefolded position is different from a position of the second object withrespect to the first object in the unfolded position.
 2. The displaydevice according to claim 1, wherein when the display section is in thefolded position, the display controller causes the display section todisplay the first object and the second object along a first direction,and when the display section is in the unfolded position, the displaycontroller causes the display section to display the first object andthe second object along a second direction, and the first direction isperpendicular to the second direction.
 3. The display device accordingto claim 2, wherein the first direction extends along a longitudinaldirection of the first object, and the second direction extends along ashort direction of the first object.
 4. The display device according toclaim 1, wherein the display controller controls the display section sothat a number of the first object displayed when the display section isin the unfolded position is larger than a number of the first objectdisplayed when the display section is in the folded position.
 5. Thedisplay device according to claim 1, wherein when the display sectiontransits from the folded position to the unfolded position, the displaycontroller causes the display section to maintain a display orientationof the first object.
 6. The display device according to claim 1, whereinwhen the display section transits from the folded position to theunfolded position and further transits to the folded position, thedisplay controller causes the display section to display the firstobject in the first display area and not to display the second object inthe first display area.
 7. A non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium storing a control program configured to be read by a computercomprising a first display area and a second display area, and a foldingsupport part configured to cause the first display area and the seconddisplay area to switch between a folded position and an unfoldedposition, with the first display area and the second display area facingin opposite directions in the folded position, and the first displayarea and the second display area facing in the same direction in theunfolded position, the control program causing the first display areaand the second display area to: display, in the unfolded position, afirst object in the first display area and to display a second object inthe second display, the first object being one of an object used toreceive a user's operation and an object on which the user's operationis performed, and the second object being the other of the object usedto receive the user's operation and the object on which the user'soperation is performed, the user's operation including at least one ofmoving the object, changing a shape of the object, deleting the object,and changing an overlapping order of the object; and display, in thefolded position, the first object and the second object in the firstdisplay area, wherein a position of the second object with respect tothe first object in the folded position is different from a position ofthe second object with respect to the first object in the unfoldedposition.
 8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumaccording to claim 6, wherein the control program causes the firstdisplay area to display the first object and the second object along afirst direction in the folded position, the control program causes thefirst display area and the second display area to display the firstobject and the second object along a second direction in the unfoldedposition, and the first direction is perpendicular to the seconddirection.
 9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumaccording to claim 8, wherein the first direction extends along alongitudinal direction of the first object, and the second directionextends along a short direction of the first object.
 10. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 7,wherein the control program causes the first display area and the seconddisplay area so that a number of the first object displayed in theunfolded position is larger than a number of the first object displayedin the folded position.
 11. The non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium according to claim 7, wherein the control program causes thefirst display area and the second display area to maintain a displayorientation of the first object when the first display area and thesecond display area transit from the folded position to the unfoldedposition.
 12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumaccording to claim 7, wherein the control program causes the firstdisplay area and the second display area to display the first object inthe first display area and not to display the second object in the firstdisplay area when the first display area and the second display areatransit from the folded position to the unfolded position and furthertransits to the folded position.